Home is You
by TheNovelArtist
Summary: Adrien always looked forward to "Adrien and Mummy day", but his mummy had other plans. Now, he got to play with a girl who he never expected to grow so close to. And never like this.
1. Chapter 1

Adrien and Mummy day was always the best.

Four-year-old Adrien hung onto his mummy's hand as she guided him down the street towards the big surprise. One he was very excited about.

"Right here, Adrien."

She guided him into a little shop around the corner, where he was immediately greeted with a bunch of sweet, yummy smells. Looking around, he could see the cupcakes and macarons and sweet breads. And then he saw the big man at the counter.

He grabbed at Mummy's leg, finding comfort in hiding half behind it.

She reached down to affectionately scratch his head. "It's ok, sweetheart." Then she looked up to the large man behind the counter. "Hi, Tom."

"Hello, Emelie. Sabine is upstairs, but she'll be down shortly."

"That's fine. It will give Adrien enough time to pick out a pastry." With that, she affectionately swept his bangs off his forehead, only for them to fall back into place.

The big man then smiled down at him. "We have lots of good pastries to choose from," he said kindly to Adrien. "You can pick any one of them."

Adrien smiled, and with the guidance of Mummy, approached the display case. He then pointed to one of the chocolate chip cookies.

"That one?" Mummy asked.

Adrien nodded.

The big man then grabbed the largest of the cookies for him and gave it to Mummy, who handed it to him.

"Thank you," Adrien said shyly.

The big man smiled at him. "You're very welcome, young man."

Adrien's smile widened as he held the cookie carefully. Very happily, Adrien nibbled on what was easily the best cookie ever while Mummy talked with the big man.

"Emelie!"

"Sabine!"

Adrien watched his mummy hug a short, black-haired woman. The two conversed as Adrien finished the last bite of his cookie. "Adrien," his mum beckoned. "This is my friend, Sabine. Can you say hello?"

Adrien waved shyly at the smiling woman. "Hello."

"Why, hello there. It's very nice to meet you."

Bashfully, Adrien found comfort behind his mother's leg.

His mummy giggled. "He's a bit shy. Gabriel shelters him in that way."

"Understandable."

"Papa! Papa! Papa!"

Suddenly, a little girl came tearing down the stairs, waving a piece of paper as she ran towards the big man who swooped her up into his arms.

"Papa! I finished it!" She then stuck the paper out into his face.

The man chuckled before taking the paper carefully out of the girl's hands and holding it out to see. "Wow. It does look just like our bakery. Good job."

She smiled, her pink skirt fluttering as she wiggled happily in his arms.

He then set her down. "Now, I have someone for you to meet. Marinette, this is Mrs. Emilie."

"Maman's best friend?"

"Yes, sweetheart," the woman said. "And this is her son, Adrien."

"Adrien," Mummy said to him, "this is Marinette, Sabine's daughter."

"Hi, Adrien," Marinette greeted.

Adrien shyly waved back.

"Adrien," his mummy said, running a hand through his hair. "why don't you and Marinette play a game?"

He then turned up to frown at his mummy. "But I wanna stay with you."

Mummy then knelt down, turning him to face her. "Tomorrow, we can spend all day together. Today, why don't you try to make a friend?"

Adrien looked at Marinette, then at his mummy. "Promise?" he whispered.

She smiled, then scratched his head again. "Promise."

Then Adrien felt something smack his shoulder. "Tag! You're it!" With that, Marinette bounded off, leaving a very confused Adrien in her wake.

"Now you have to run after her," his mother explained. "And touch her, say tag, and then she'll be it. When you get her, make sure she doesn't get you."

Adrien looked at his mother skeptically.

She giggled. "Go on," she encouraged. "Go get her."

Still confused, Adrien ran after Marinette, who was waiting on the stairs looking a tinge put-out that she wasn't being chased.

But once he ran towards her, she squealed happily and continued up the stairs.

Adrien wasn't sure of the point of the game, but he had to make his mummy proud. He had to catch the girl. They ran around what looked like his living room, but much smaller. They dove behind the couch, and under the tables and around the lamps.

"Catch me if you can!" Marinette kept yelling.

Adrien tried, but he never seemed to catch her. She was really sneaky.

Then, after the fifth time behind the couch, he decided to go around.

She squealed loudly as she nearly slammed into him.

"Tag!" He yelled, smacking his hands against her shoulder. "You're it."

And then he ran.

And she gave chase, giggling all the while.

Until he hid behind his mummy again. "I got her."

Mummy looked down at him with a soft smile. She scratched his head affectionately. "Good job. But you have to run away and not let her catch _you._ " She tapped his nose lovingly.

Adrien frowned, grabbing at his mummy's leg. "I don't like that game," he whispered.

By now, Marinette had stopped, frowning as she looked up at her own mummy.

The black-haired woman knelt down beside her daughter. "Why don't you two pick another game? Like hide-and-go-seek? Or maybe you two can go color?"

Marinette lit up at that. "Okay." Boldly, she walked up to Adrien again. "Do you want to play hide-and-go-seek?"

Her smile was so wide, and her eyes really bright, and the way she bounced on her toes made her impossible to ignore. Adrien looked out at her, his hold on Mummy slowly easing. "How do you play?"

Thirty minutes later, Adrien was grinning while he slid under the couch as Marinette counted to ten. This was a fun game. And he was good at it. All he had to do was stomp around and listen for Marinette to giggle. But he was quiet. Quiet as a cat. She could stomp around all she wanted but he wouldn't make a sound.

"Ten! Ready or not, here I come!"

Adrien curled up into a tiny ball as he watched Marinette's shoes scamper across the floor checking every spot for him. But she couldn't find him.

Adrien smiled to himself. He was really good at this game.

It took a while for her to find him, but when she did, she got the biggest smile and squealed, "Found you!" Just like she did every time.

And then it was Adrien's turn. He shut his eyes, counted to ten, then began searching the house for her. He stomped around a bit, hoping she would giggle. Then whipped around when he heard her. _Behind the chair,_ he thought, so sneaking quietly around, he pounced behind the chair, roaring like a lion for effect, and she squealed and laughed and then roared back and tackled him. Roughhousing, she called it. She said she and her papa did it all the time. Adrien thought it really fun. He never did something like that with Father.

"Raor, Raor!" he'd say, patting at her shoulders and rolling around on the ground.

"Raor, Raor!" she'd return, shoving him back and tumbling on top of him.

They stopped, Marinette laying across Adrien on the ground. "Got you."

"Your turn," Adrien said.

"I'm tired of this game," Marinette said, getting off Adrien. "Do you want to color?"

"Ok."

That's how the two four-year-olds ended up at the little desk in Marinette's room. She opened up a huge coloring book and put a box with more crayons than Adrien had ever seen on the table.

"Do you want to color this picture?"

Adrien looked at the picture with the giraffe, then shook his head. "Is there a cat?"

Marinette looked at the book hard, then removed the book from the table and came back with a different coloring book, one with dogs…and cats.

"This one?" she pointed to the picture of a cat laying in flowers with ladybugs around it.

Adrien nodded. "Yeah."

He was a bit confused when she started coloring the ladybugs. He pulled a black crayon out of the box and carefully pulled the book closer to him.

"I can't reach," Marinette said.

"But this is my picture," Adrien replied. That's what coloring was, right?

"But the best part of coloring is sharing a picture," she whined.

Adrien frowned. It was? "I never shared a picture before."

At this, Marinette brightened. "Then we'll share this one, okay?"

"Okay."

It wasn't long before both of them were wearing smiles. Two sets of little hands flew over the picture and dug around in the crayon box.

"The cat's collar should be green."

"This green?"

"No, a bright green."

"Okay. This one?"

"Yeah!"

Pretty soon, the picture was done, crayons were all over the place and two little kids were smiling down at their work.

Marinette grabbed a red crayon and put her name at the top. "Maman says you always have to sign the pictures you color."

Adrien would follow anything Marinette said at this point. So he grabbed the bright green of the cat's collar and put his name next to Marinette's.

"Do you want to color another?" Marinette asked eagerly.

"Yeah!"

They flipped to another picture. This one of a dog chasing butterflies, but Adrien didn't care. He liked coloring with Marinette.

They were half-way finished when the door opened, calling the duo's attention. "Kids. It's time for Adrien to go home."

" _Nooooo,"_ Adrien whined, earning a surprised look from his mummy.

She then gave him a kind smile. "We can come back again."

"But Marinette and I aren't done coloring our picture," he explained.

"Please, Maman," Marinette whined. "We have to finish."

The two women looked at each other, then Mummy pulled out her phone and looked at it. "Ten more minutes, okay?"

Adrien looked super happy. "Okay."

Marinette dug into the crayon box. "We have to hurry."

Adrien nodded in agreement, pulling out a purple crayon and finishing the butterflies. It wasn't perfectly inside the lines, but they had to get it done.

Mummy watched as Adrien and Marinette finished the picture, then he signed his name on top. Proudly, he turned back to his mummy. "Marinette says everything I color has to be signed."

His mother affectionately ruffled his hair. "She's right. You should always sign your work. It looks very nice."

"We did another one, too." Adrien excitedly turned the page and showed her the one of the cat and ladybugs. "This is my favorite."

"Marinette," her maman said gently. "Maybe you should let Adrien keep that picture and you can keep the other one."

Marinette looked like it was the best idea in the world before asking her maman to take out the page for her. One that Adrien took and held very carefully.

"Thank you."

"Now, say good-bye."

Adrien looked up at Mummy, a little sad. "Can I come back?"

His mummy smiled at him. "Of course. We'll come back, and maybe we can have Marinette over. How about that?"

Adrien nodded. "Yes, please."

Mummy giggled. "But for now, say good-bye."

He waved. "Bye-bye, Marinette."

She needed no prompting from her maman. Instead, she tackled him in a hug. "Bye-bye, Adrien."

Adrien hugged her back. Then, holding his picture carefully in one hand and Mummy's hand in the other, walked back home.

"Did you have fun today, Adrien?" she asked.

Adrien nodded. Behind Adrien and Mummy day, this was the best day ever.


	2. Chapter 2

Fridays were the best days ever. Because at three o'clock, Marinette would come over. And play spies.

The two eight-year-olds were sneaking around Adrien's house, avoiding the maid and butler and bodyguard. If anyone caught them, they would have to start over from the front entrance. The goal: get to his room without being caught.

It was difficult, but that's what made it fun. There wasn't much to hide behind in the mansion, but they managed. It would sometimes take them five tries to get up to Adrien's room, but they would always do it.

From there, they would build the best home base fort ever in the history of the universe and hide in there while they told grand stories of the adventures they would have. Then they would train and see who could scale the rock wall the fastest, then mark whoever won on their score chart. It was very important because whoever won got to be the leader because the leader had to be the best. And while Adri—um, _Chat Noir_ (it was very important that spies always went by their code names) was usually the leader, he never minded when _Ladybug_ took over.

"That's because you have the rock wall in your room," she would usually say.

He always felt guilty.

Usually by the time they decided that they wanted to go play outside, it was time for Marinette to go home. Adrien rarely threw fits. He was usually a very agreeable and understanding child, but when his mummy came up and told them to clean up their room because it was time for Marinette to go, Adrien would always whine, " _Noooo."_

It would take some coaxing on her part to convince the two eight-year-olds to clean up their fort. Which they would. But Marinette's parents would usually _still_ have to come up to Adrien's room, find their daughter's hiding spot, and convince her that she'll be back next week.

And then they'd hug each other and Marinette would wave as she left.

However, whenever Mummy had work to do and Father went with her, Adrien would be dropped off at Marinette's house.

There was a different set of rules at Marinette's house. They didn't play spies. But they did roughhouse. A lot. It usually started with pillows, then it would get to the point where Adrien would tackle Marinette. In between her giggling and wacking him with the pillow, she'd eventually roughhouse back.

"You're not gonna get me!"

"Yes, I am," he would usually retort.

"I'm taller than you," she would reply. "That means I'm gonna win!"

"But I'm gonna prove you wrong."

He usually didn't. There was one time he managed to pile on top of her, otherwise, she would always win.

By then, roughhousing was forgotten because Adrien got tired of losing to her. And they'd play videogames. Father didn't really let him play videogames, but with Marinette, all the rules changed. Roughhousing was okay. Videogames were allowed. And he got to eat cookies. The chocolate chip were the best. And sometimes, if he was really lucky, he got to make them with her and her maman.

That was how it went all throughout the school year. Then came summer. Adrien knew during summer that he got to stay up a little later and that he got to spend more time with Marinette. But this year…

"Please, Mummy," he begged. "Please?"

His mummy looked down at him, not quite frowning but not quite smiling either. "I don't know, Adrien."

"But Mummy, Marinette comes over all the time. Can't we have a sleepover, please?"

"What's going on?"

"Father," Adrien greeted, noticing his father walk into his room. "I was asking Mummy if Marinette could come over so we could have a sleepover. Please? We promise to be good."

His father raised a single brow before looking over at his wife.

She shrugged. "I…guess if Marinette's parents are all right with it."

Adrien couldn't contain himself. "Yay! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" He grabbed his mummy in a hug, squeezing her as tight as he could.

It was three weeks later that Marinette and Adrien were under their usual fort at Adrien's house. This time, they made it as big as they could with all the extra blankets and pillows they collected for their sleepover. And it was amazing. Eventually, Adrien's mummy came in to tell them that they needed to go to bed. The duo whined a little bit before relenting. They ducked under their pile of blankets in their fort, only having to turn off the flashlights for the room to be dark.

"Adrien?"

"Yeah?"

"We're best friends, right?"

Adrien frowned. "Of course."

"But we don't have a best friends' handshake."

Adrien's eyes widened as though this was a cardinal sin. "What could be our handshake?"

Marinette thought about this for a moment. Then, with a grin, extended her fist. "Pound it?"

Adrien put his fist against hers, and Marinette's smile widened. "Pound it!"

"Pound it," he repeated.

The next morning, Adrien's mummy found the duo huddled together under a single blanket, sharing a single pillow. She found her camera, taking a picture of them dwarfed in their huge fort, surrounded by three other pillows and two other blankets. It was too precious of a moment not to capture.

* * *

Adrien was twelve when his world fell apart. His mother had been sick for about a year, which was worrisome, but when she suddenly passed on, the doctors misdiagnosing her cancer, Adrien and his father were crushed.

Father secluded himself in his office. Adrien wasn't allowed inside, which was fine by him. He wanted to be in his room anyway. Alone.

With Marinette.

In Adrien's book, it counted as being alone.

She was quiet most of the time, just there for Adrien in silent support. Just like they did when they were eight, they often huddled together under one blanket, their foreheads pressed together sharing one pillow while Marinette hugged Adrien, wrapping him up in all the comfort she could offer.

For a month, that was how Adrien grieved.

By then, he was able to find the will power to go outside. Marinette dragged him out for walks. Short ones. She'd hold his hand and guide him around a couple blocks before ending up at her house. They'd ignore any snide remarks about them being young or puppy love. Others didn't know. They didn't understand. Because while Adrien and Marinette did love each other, it was in an indescribable way. They were the best of friends. They were support. They were family. No one would be able to comprehend how having Marinette's hand in his was the only thing keeping him together out in public.

When they arrived at her house, she usually collected two large chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk, one they would share to dunk their cookies in. Then, they would sit down for a movie. Something stupid. Something light-hearted. Something funny. After that, she'd walk him home.

"Pound it?" she'd always ask at their front door.

He'd always muster a smile for her because she deserved it. "Pound it."

After a hug, they'd part ways. During their long hug, Adrien would always check the position of the sun. If it was plenty early in the afternoon, he would let her walk home, but if it was anywhere near dusk, he would insist that his chauffer take her home. And because he learned early on that Marinette usually refused, he had no qualms about picking her up, carrying her inside, and holding her hostage until his driver drove her away.

Which was what he did today.

"Adrien," she complained.

"No," he objected. "It's too dark out for you to be alone."

"It's over an hour until sunset."

" _Too. Dark._ "

She sighed, relenting. "So protective, kitty."

"You're my lady. It's my job as a knight and as your best friend."

She couldn't argue with that one.

So after The Gorilla was found and Adrien asked him to take Marinette home, Marinette gave him one last hug. "Have a good night, Adrien." She would always say.

"I'll try."

When they pulled away, Marinette would give him her kindest smile. "One day, you'll say 'I will' instead, and I'll be happy for you."

It warmed his heart in ways the twelve-year-old couldn't fully comprehend. "Thanks, Ladybug."

"Anything for you, Chat Noir."

It wouldn't be for another month that Adrien did respond "I will." He can't remember another time Marinette ever squeezed him that tightly.

Two months after that, they were able to play video games again with Adrien fully invested in the game. With Marinette being Marinette, he was usually relegated to losing.

But he was always okay with that.

It was eight months after his mother passed that roughhousing was back into play. Their favorite thing. Marinette was a strong, scrappy little thing, but Adrien was getting stronger and bigger as the years passed. "Raor, raor."

"Raor, raor." Marinette would return, trying to twist her way out of the hold he had on her.

They giggled and laughed and rolled around on the floor. Only to be interrupted by Tom. To his credit, he never flinched at the sight of Adrien straddling his daughter, pinning her arms to the floor.

"Papa, help!"

Tom's usual chuckle was strained. "Good job, Adrien. You got her."

" _Papa_!"

Adrien laughed louder than he had in a long time.

But as the two continued to look at Mr. Dupain, they began to realize something was wrong. Adrien got off of Marinette so that she could roll over. "What's wrong, Papa?"

He sighed. "Adrien, your father is here for you."

Adrien's mirth vanished in a flash. He got up to follow Mr. Dupain downstairs, but before he could reach the latter, Marinette grabbed his arm to stop him. Her smile was kind and gentle and loving. "I'd lose every time just to hear you laugh like that again. I missed it."

Her cheeks were a cute shade of pink. Adrien's own cheeks felt warm as he looked down at Marinette. She was…really cute. And sweet. And kind. And he loved being around her. She was special, one-of-a-kind, precious to him. Suddenly, it became the most important thing in the world that his laugh had made her so happy.

With a smile, he extended his fist. "Pound it?"

Her grin warmed him. "Pound it."

Together, they descended the stairs to find Adrien's father standing there. "We're going home, Adrien. I need you."

Adrien nodded. He hugged Marinette good-bye then waved to Mr. Dupain and Mrs. Cheng before following his father out into the car. The door had only just shut when his father tossed a file folder at him. Adrien opened it just as the car motor started up. Looking at the papers inside, Adrien's eyes widened with panic. "New York?"

"I will need to guide a new, recently extended branch there."

Adrien swallowed. "So…we're moving there?"

"For the next several years," his father stated. "It will take three to five for it to gain traction and be trustworthy enough to leave on its own."

Adrien stared down at the paper with terror. No. He couldn't. That means…

"We will be leaving within a month. I suggest you say good-bye to Marinette. Get whatever you need to stay in contact with her if you wish, but this is imperative, Adrien. I'm sorry."

Yet, his father said that with as much passion as any of his other monotone lectures.

"I won't even be able to spend my thirteenth birthday with her?"

At this, his father's expression softened. He was quiet for so long, Adrien took that as an answer.

"I'll postpone the flight for a week, but no more," his father finally said. "The day after your birthday, we will leave for New York."

Painfully pleased, he smiled. "Thank you, Father."

When he told Marinette the next day, they cried.

"W-w-we have to keep in contact, okay?" she sniffled out.

He hugged her tighter. "Okay. I promise. I promise."

For his birthday, she made him a scarf in his favorite blue color, along with a hat and pair of mittens. He huddled them close as though they were his most prized possessions. Then, despite it being his birthday, he gave Marinette a gift as well. A web camera, so they could keep in touch.

It was the most bittersweet birthday a thirteen-year-old could have, and it wasn't even because his mother wasn't there.

"I'll miss you," Marinette cried as they were parting ways for the last time.

"I promise to come back as soon as I can."

"Pound it?"

He didn't hesitate. "Pound it."

And while he tried to stay strong to keep up his image, he would admit he cried when the jet plane took off that very next morning.


	3. Chapter 3

Sixteen years old and it was clear to Adrien that distance had only allowed the bond between him and his best friend to grow stronger. No matter how much ocean separated then or how many new people he got to meet, Marinette was still his best friend. It was some sort of irrevocable right, some part of his heart that she had stolen and kept in Paris if for no other reason than to give him a reason to go back home.

It never mattered how much his American friend, Nino, harassed him for it, Adrien would text Marinette relentlessly during the day. _Relentlessly_.

 _-You should hear the teacher, right now. She has a voice to rival a cat's bell._

 _-Well, you could either have her or my teacher who has the eyes of a hawk._

 _-Is that why you go quiet for an hour and a half?_

 _-Yup._

"Dude," Nino commented. "Your girlfriend is going to get you in trouble."

"She's not my girlfriend," Adrien hissed back.

"Yeah, right. And the teacher doesn't sound like a cat's bell."

Adrien ignored him.

"I don't even think I know her name, and I've known you for, what, nearly two years now? I only just found out who you were texting all the time. Come on, what's her name?"

"Marinette," Adrien answered, shooting off another text.

"She pretty?"

Adrien growled.

"Take that as a yes," Nino snickered. "Can I see a picture?"

Adrien took a precious second to look up from his text thread to glare at Nino.

"Come on, dude," Nino coaxed. "Let me see her and decide if she's worth losing my best friend over."

"She's cute," Adrien curtly replied. "But that hardly matters when we are as close as we are."

"Still." Nino tapped Adrien's shoulder. "Come on."

Adrien sighed, then pulled up the most recent picture that Marinette sent him. One of her holding the red and white hamster that her parents got her for her birthday.

Nino let out an appreciative whistle. "You know how to pick 'um, dude."

"Lay off."

"Possessive much?"

"Nino," Adrien hissed.

"Adrien!"

The class all stared at the teacher, whose voice had boomed through the classroom.

She tapped her foot impatiently on the tile floor. It sounded far too much like a clock ticking time away, but at the speed of a shocked heartbeat. "I didn't realize you had something more important than listening to my lecture."

Adrien sank in his seat at that.

"Phone goes away," she directed. "Next time I see it, or even believe you have it, I'll take it for the rest of class. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am."

"And Nino," she continued. "If you continue talking to Adrien, I'll have to separate you. Clear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good."

When the teacher turned back to the board, Adrien shot a glare at Nino. Had he just kept quiet, this wouldn't have happened. As it were, Adrien was forced to pry the cell phone from his hands and shove it into his bag. It felt like losing an appendage. Like…his heart.

When class was released, Adrien dug into his bag to retrieve the phone. Marinette had surely sent him a handful of messages asking why he went dark. But as it were, there were none. Maybe she got her phone taken away, as well.

It was by the end of the day he was worried because she was the one MIA. Not a single text in five hours. Adrien frowned in confusion.

The next motions were routine: home, computer, skype. Marinette always picked up. They'd chat, and occasionally do some homework together. Literally, it wouldn't matter if they didn't talk as long as the other was on the computer screen. It was surprisingly effective.

But that wasn't going to happen at all if Marinette didn't answer the phone.

By four, he was worried. By six, he was pacing his room, scouring his phone for contacts. By six 'o five, he realized the time difference and figured that no one would appreciate a call at midnight.

But by eight, he got a call from Marinette.

"Mari!" he answered. "Where were you! You just disappeared on me? ...And what are you doing up at two in the morning? I know you're a night owl, but for heaven's sake—"

"Adrien."

The voice was teary and weak. It made him instantly shut up.

A couple sobs sounded on the phone, and Adrien wanted nothing more than to leap through the cell phone and hold her.

"He's gone."

The way Marinette said it, the way she burst into a whole new round of sobbing…Adrien knew that feeling far too personally.

"Marinette," he calmly coaxed. "Who's gone?"

But she couldn't answer. She just cried. And cried. And cried.

And he let her. Even though his heart was being beaten by the second, smashed into a thousand little shards that were never going to be put back together, he listened.

"Marinette," he said, over and over again. It was the only thing he could do. He couldn't crawl through the phone to her. He couldn't even see her. He could only say her name as a reminder that he was there and wasn't leaving any time soon.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry."

"Mari," he said, "Tell me, what happened?"

She sniffed. "There…there was an explosion. Gas leak, at the bakery."

He had to wait two whole minutes for her to stop crying again.

"I was at a sleepover with a friend. And Maman was out for ingredients. But…but Papa…"

Tears filled the line once again, and Adrien nearly dropped the phone. Mr. Dupain. Gone?...

Adrien felt tears of his own fall from his cheeks as he remembered the man. No. No, it couldn't be. "Mari," he said, his voice warbling.

But she just kept crying, a confirmation that this was very, very real.

Adrien sniffed, then wiped at his eyes. The desperate need to hug her was slowly becoming too much to bear. He had to get to her, one way or another.

It wouldn't be for another thirty minutes until they hung up. There hadn't been much talking. It had mostly been Marinette sobbing her heart out on the other line and Adrien listening. Occasionally, he would say something, a reminder that he was there, that he was listening, that he was her support.

Just has she had been his.

But the fact was, he was still failing, hence why he found himself marching to his father's office at the late hour.

"Father," he said. "I need to get back to Paris."

* * *

How he managed it, he didn't know. Of course, he had to wait the week and a half until spring break, as the Americans referred to it. But he found himself with a free pass to spend that entire vacation in Paris.

He could have cried when the plane landed. To be back home, even for a moment, it was something he didn't even realize he needed.

He had a taxi drive him down to the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. He had gotten a funny look, but Adrien knew he had to see the damage himself. Even though he thought he was, he wasn't prepared for it. The entire building was gone. As well as the buildings surrounding it.

It must have been one heck of an explosion.

He stared for the longest time before snapping from his trance and marching off towards the hotel she told him she was staying at. The one he needed to check into.

He got his room, dumped his suitcase, then whipped out his cell to call the one person he had come to see.

She picked up on the third ring. "Hey."

"Hey," he said. "How are you holding up?"

"No better than a day ago."

"I bet I could make your day, though."

"Oh really?" she said, intrigue entering her voice.

Adrien grinned. That was the most emotion he heard in the past week and a half. "Number 208."

He could hear her confusion. "Number 208?"

"Of the hotel."

"Of the ho…" her voice trailed off, and then the line went dead.

He looked at the phone, then found a smile gracing his face. He wondered how long it would take for her to show up at his door.

He counted the seconds, and a full minute later, there was a frantic knocking.

And considering he was right by the door, he answered immediately.

When their gazed locked, he felt something in his chest tighten. She was a sight for sore eyes. He vaguely registered just how tall he was compared to her now, but really, it was hard to notice anything other than her shimmering blue eyes that he was getting hopelessly lost in.

In a second, Marinette broke the spell when she launched forward and engulfed him in a bone-crushing hug.

It snapped him from his trance as he took her in his arms and held her up against him. He could hear her cry, feel her body shake, and it prompted him to hold her even tighter.

"You're here," she cried. "You're here."

"I'm here," he confirmed. "I'm here."

They stayed like that for the longest time, Marinette clinging to him like he was her lifeline, and him holding on because he knew that he was.

Eventually, her crying subsided, and they made their way over to sit on the edge of the bed. "I'm so glad to see you," she said, smile on her face likely the first one since the accident.

"I needed to be here," he replied. "Like you were for me."

"You came…just for me?" The tears started to return.

He nodded, giving her the biggest smile he could muster.

And her smile grew at the sight. She leaned against him, curling up against his side. "You are the most amazing friend in the world."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"I would."

Honestly, that was all that mattered.

They stayed once again in silence, his hand holding hers, her curled up against his side, his face turned so his nose buried in her hair, her head resting on his shoulder.

And it was perfect.

"How long?" Marinette eventually asked. "How long are you staying?"

"I leave next Sunday. I have the week off of school."

She smiled—and oh what a lovely smile it was—before wrapping her arms around his waist. "Thank you. Thank you so much."


	4. Chapter 4

At eighteen years of age, a graduate from school, he and his father were finally returning home.

But he wasn't going to Paris. His father was, but Adrien was headed the opposite direction, halfway around the world to China where Marinette and her mother had gone to be with family after the accident.

It became twice as difficult to keep in touch with her now that she was halfway across the world from him. And he missed her so much it hurt. She was his home, and he wanted to return.

So he flew halfway across the world to her. To close that distance. And the best thing was that she knew to be expecting him.

That was only because he had to stop her. When she told him his graduation gift was her saving up enough money to fly to Paris in order to be there to greet him when he landed, he'd nearly exploded.

"I miss you," was her explanation. "I miss you so much. I just want to see you again, Adrien."

"I miss you, too," he told her, his heart pounding. "More than you know. But I'm not letting you do that."

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because I have more means to do so," he counted. "I'm coming to you, not the other way around."

"Adrien—"

"That's final."

She paused. "Okay," she relented, smile clear on her face. "Okay. I won't argue. I just want to see you again."

"I'll book the earliest flight I can make and tell you right away."

"I'll be waiting."

That had been months ago, and while he wasn't looking forward to the tremendously long flight, he had anxiously awaited the opportunity to see Marinette again. When he stepped foot off the plane after the long day of traveling, Adrien was exhausted yet the thought of just who he was here to see kept him going. He was fully expecting to snag a cab to her address, but instead he was greeted with the sight of a young woman in a red dress waiting at the airport.

Adrien had to do a doubletake because that was not the girl he remembered. She wasn't stick straight like she was in her childhood. She was curved, an hourglass with those ever-familiar pigtails. But instead of the childish scrunchies with beads, there were ribbons trailing down from her hair.

She was beautiful.

It took a moment for her eyes to lock on his, but once they did, an unabashedly joyous grin graced her face as she took off at a run towards him.

As quick as he could with a rolling suitcase, he hustled towards her. They crashed together into a hug, Adrien easily picking her up and spinning her. She was small compared to him. Smaller than ever and light as a feather. He could have held her there for days.

She didn't pull away anytime soon, either. Her voice was muffled by the fact her face was buried against his shoulder, but he still understood when she said, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he said, one arm still tightly around her waist while another reached up to hold the back of her head right where it was. "I missed you so much it hurt."

They stayed for a while before Adrien slowly set her back down on her feet. He noticed the tears of joy that slid down her cheeks and was suddenly aware that he was crying too.

She took his cheeks in her hands, and Adrien felt like he could fly over the moon. "Look at you," she said. "I mean, I know we talked so often over video chats, but…" she snorted. "I just spent twenty minutes looking for the little boy I knew and suddenly there's this really tall, handsome man and _when did you get so tall_?"

They dissolved into laughter.

"You're telling me," Adrien said. "I didn't expect an incredibly lovely young woman to be picking me up from the airport. When did you learn to drive, anyway?"

They shared another chuckle before Marinette suggested he grab the last of his luggage and then they'd go home.

She had no idea how good that sounded to him.

She took him home— _home_ —to her family, where he was welcomed with open arms. He gave a really tight hug to Sabine, the woman who had become a second mom to him. He hadn't realized how much he missed her until he saw her, and considering she returned his tight hug, she had missed him, too. Thankfully, he was here for the time being. For a long time, as far as he could see. Just how long, he didn't know, but as he told Marinette, "I'm staying long enough to catch up on the last five years."

"I won't object."

They were inseparable, quickly falling back into their childhood mentality of pillow fights and "race you to the top." Until a festival night. It was as though Adrien looked over and the world faded out as he took in this gorgeous young woman who looked absolutely stunning in the glowing lantern lights. And it fully clicked in his mind that she was no longer that child he used to know but a young woman eighteen years of age.

His heart sputtered and tripped, and when she turned to look at him, her blue eyes crashing into his with shocking intensity, he couldn't stop the words that poured from his mouth. "I don't ever want to leave."

She stared at him for the longest time, her eyes twinkling in the lantern lights and her lips curling downward. "I don't want you to leave, either."

"What if I stayed?" he asked, unconsciously leaning closer. "What… what if I stayed?"

She took several uncertain breaths. "I would love if you did," she said. Her expression quickly fell. "But I know you can't."

"You would miss me?"

"Of course, I would," she said, taking a step closer to him. "I lost five years of having you at my side, and I only just got you back, yet I'm going to have to let you go again and… I don't want to think about it."

"Then don't." He shifted so as to stand directly in front of her, then lifted a hand to brush a tendril of hair from her face.

She leaned into his touch.

"I have three weeks left on my travel visa," he whispered. "Let me spend those three weeks courting you."

Surprisingly, she didn't falter. She stared at him with a wide-eyed expression, her doe-eyes blinking a few times before she answered. "Okay."

True to his word, he spent every moment with her. Home. She was home. They could be out in the city or in a park and he was happy just because he was with her and she was his home. Despite them now courting, things didn't change between them. They were still Marinette and Adrien, though he swore she spent a little more time in the morning to look good for him. Which was fine because he did the same for her.

By the end of the third day that they were officially dating, he leaned forward, silently asking for a kiss that he hadn't known how badly he needed until that moment. They met each other in a tentative touch. Their first kiss. Ever.

It held a certain magic all its own.

From there, going more than twelve hours without a kiss was unheard of. Good mornings and good nights and then little 'I love you's throughout the day until Adrien realized he was going to be leaving the woman he had grown fully, completely, and utterly attached to.

And it near ripped his heart out.

On the day of his leaving, Adrien awoke early, like always. He wandered into the kitchen to find the only woman who woke up before him: Sabine.

"Adrien, have a seat."

He took a spot across from her at the kitchen table. She looked at him with sad eyes and a smile. Adrien's gaze sank to the tea she poured for him.

"Don't think for a second I don't see the extent of what's going on between you two."

"We never tried to hide it," Adrien said.

"I know, but by doing so, you've proven to me one thing."

"And that is?"

"Marinette belongs in Paris."

Adrien stared at her. "But… all her family is here."

"But she misses the city," Sabine explained. "She misses her friends there; she still keeps in touch with them, as you know. She misses the fashion."

That, Adrien could understand. Marinette had honed her skill over the years, and he knew she had the potential to be great.

"But mostly, she belongs in Paris… because _you_ belong in Paris."

Adrien's eyes widened. His mouth moved but no words came forth.

"Adrien." Sabine set her tea down then reached across the table to lay her hands over top his. "You and Marinette… you're so much more than your mom and I _ever_ thought you'd be. I see it in your eyes; I see it in the way you treat her; in the way you communicate, both verbally and not. You two are made for each other."

A door creaked open, calling their attention. To each of their surprise, Marinette was the one standing there.

"Good morning, sweetie," Sabine said. "Let me get you some tea."

Tiredly, she thanked her mom before sitting down next to Adrien, lacing her hands around his arm and leaning her head against his shoulder.

It was an automatic response for him to nuzzle the top of her head.

"You're leaving today," she bemoaned.

"I don't want to," he quietly returned.

Her grip became tighter as she pressed her body closer against him.

Suddenly, Sabine's words weighed heavily in his mind. That, paired with the thought of him leaving her…

"Marry me."

The words slipped out so easily, yet so strong. He didn't doubt them. He didn't regret them.

But they did shock her. "What?"

"Marry me," he repeated.

Her breath picked up as her blue eyes continued to stare at him.

"Let me take you back to Paris," he said, reaching over to cover her hands with his free one. "Let me take you home. I'll talk with my dad, and I know he'll teach you everything you want to know about fashion. He'll give you a place in the company because you're so good and I know you'll only improve. You'll be able to connect with your friends again, be back in the city we grew up, but now we're getting to go together. We'll find a place to settle down, and I know you want a family, three kids and a dog. I'll get you a hamster to replace the one you lost, and that way I don't have to leave you ever again. We… we can stay together. I don't want to leave you, Marinette. Every time, it rips my heart out. So marry me, Marinette. Marry me."

She stared at him, blankly at first but soon her eyes grew glassy and her breathing picked up. "Yes," she said, smile growing across her lovely lips. "Yes. Yes. Yes."

He wrapped a hand around her neck, pulling her close to kiss her. They'd gotten so much better, knowing how to move with the other so teeth didn't clack together and their movements weren't sloppy, even if they were in a haste. It was perfect, sweet, beautiful.

So much so he forgot Sabine was there to witness to the entire thing.

All too soon, he was at the airport, ready to fly back to Paris. Their goodbye was both easier and harder than either of them thought.

"I'll miss you."

"Only for now," he said, squeezing her hands that he held in his. "I'm going to prepare things back in Paris, and then I'm going to come back to get you, and marry you."

"And marry me," she repeated with a certain giddiness.

He grinned widely in return.

Five more goodbye kisses later, he finally forced himself to go. And he marched all the way back to his childhood house where he told his father his mission. One he wouldn't stop until Marinette was here in Paris with him.

* * *

Adrien got the surprise of a lifetime when Nino showed up at his house out of the blue one day. Apparently, the DJ thought it was a good idea to do a bit of world traveling before deciding to settle down somewhere.

"And your 'world traveling' starts here?"

Nino shrugged. "Had to see my best bro."

"Well, glad you're here," Adrien said, slapping a hand down on his shoulder. "I think you can help me." And that was when Adrien launched into explaining his entire mission. Nino, being the best bro he was, readily agreed to help.

That's when surprise number two came into Adrien's life.

"I'm Alya, Marinette's best friend. Well, best _female_ friend," she teased. "She called me squealing and so I'm here to make sure everything is up to standard."

After Adrien picked his best friend's jaw up off the floor, he smiled at the girl. "Great. I can use all the help I can get."

* * *

He was nineteen when everything was in its place and prepared for Marinette to come back to Paris. He'd gone house hunting with her on video chat and furniture shopping the same way. It had been a wake-up call when he picked out a bed. He was marrying Marinette. He and Marinette were going to be husband and wife and they were going to do a whole lot more than just kiss. She wanted three kids, after all, and that involved a certain amount of… well… intimacy.

It took a couple days for that to sink in. She was his best friend. He always thought of her that way. To shift that thinking to her now being his wife. His lover…

It was some odd mix of embarrassing, exciting, and awkward.

Eventually, everything was ready, and the wedding was in days. He was so excited, and he knew from countless texts, phone calls, and video chats that she was just as excited.

The day he had to pick her up from the airport was marked on his calendar, and he was anxiously awaiting that day. But imagine his surprise when he unlocked the door to his townhouse to find Marinette in the entryway, bags and boxes everywhere.

He stood there for a moment, stunned until she grinned and said, "Hey there, hot stuff."

He launched at her, tackling her to the floor in a hug and barraging her with kisses.

"How. Did. You. Get in?" he asked between kisses that he peppered all over her lovely face.

"Alya," she said, returning the favor. "Got the key. From Nino."

"I was just going to ask for it back," he murmured. "My wife needs the key to her house, after all."

Their kisses came to a pause. She pulled away, and so did he, only to see tears in her eyes as she smiled sweetly up at him. "I'm so happy to be back home," she whispered.

"So am I," he whispered back, leaning forward to press a long, lingering kiss on her lips. "So am I."

Eventually, they got off the floor long enough for him to show her around the house. Halfway through the tour, she stopped, her mouth open and eyes slowly growing misty.

He grinned.

Slowly, she reached for the picture frame on the side table, staring at it a while longer before looking up at him. "You kept it," she said breathlessly.

"I couldn't ever bear to get rid of it."

She looked at the picture a while longer, studying the familiar green collar that held the bell on a black cat chasing ladybugs. The page had yellowed with time and the colors of the crayons weren't quite as bright as they used to be, but it didn't matter. That picture meant the world to him.

And apparently, to her.

He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "That was the best day ever."

She sniffed, tears running down her face while she smiled a bright and happy grin. "It really was."

Eventually, after the full tour was finished and the picture was relocated to their bedroom, he helped her move in. The clothes she had, her art supplies and sketchbooks and all those goodies.

After that was done, he made dinner—a prepackaged freezer meal he'd partially been living off of, but no matter—and they made a pillow fort out of all the blankets and couch cushions, then ate dinner with flashlights.

"So much better than a five-star restaurant," Marinette teased.

"I'm glad you think so, my lady."

"Kitty."

"Yes?"

"I'm so glad I'm marrying you."

His heart could have burst right then and there. He reached out to grab her hand, holding it tightly. "I'm so glad to have you as my lifelong partner."

Her eyes crinkled at the corners. She slipped her hand from his. "Pound it."

"Pound it."

* * *

The wedding included her family from China that had come to witness the event. It was quaint and charming and utterly perfect. Though, to be fair, Adrien didn't remember much besides Nino handing him a tissue as Marinette walked down the aisle. He also remembered slipping a band on her hand after taking vows and driving back home after a crazy fun reception, but couldn't remember much more than that.

Then the wedding night.

That's when Adrien realized that even his earlier revelation hadn't fully prepared him for this.

"Are you nervous, too?"

It was almost a relief to hear coming from her. "I… when I asked you to marry me, I kinda forgot about, you know, what married people do."

"It didn't cross my mind, either," she admitted, her cheeks turning a wild shade of red. "Not until my maman sat me down and talked me through the… um… wedding night."

His face heated up even further. "We can wait," he suggested. "It doesn't have to be tonight."

Her gaze hit the floor. "I mean, that's true," she shyly agreed. "But… I don't know. It's… it's our wedding night…"

Adrien swallowed. "How about this," he began, turning to collect her hands in his. "Go take a moment to get ready for bed, and you can decide if you're ready. If you aren't ready, we'll wait. If you are, then we'll go slow. If you aren't comfortable, we'll stop."

"What about you?" she asked. "Are you ready?"

He paused. "I think I am," he said.

"Then we can try."

His brow knit together. "Are you certain?"

She nodded. "There's something mental about it? That… this is our only _wedding night_ , you know? And… I kinda always thought my wedding night would be _on_ my wedding night…"

"Okay." He squeezed her hands tighter, pulling her in so as to press a kiss to her forehead. "Go get ready for bed, and I'll be waiting."

Another round of red colored her cheeks. "I'll need your help to get out of this wedding dress, first," she whispered.

A new fire lit his face. Clearly, knowing what the wedding night consisted of, and actually being in the wedding night were two very different things. Especially when it was his best friend, the woman he cared about and respected more than anyone in the world, participating in this night with him. "Turn around."

She did as asked, revealing the hidden zipper to him. He undid the top latch, then slid the zipper down the entire length of her back. In doing so, it placed his lips right above the spot her neck and shoulder met. He leaned forward just a bit more and placed a long, lingering kiss to the spot.

Her breath hitched, and it struck a fire in his belly.

He pulled away, but his lips still hovered over that spot. "Go get ready," he whispered against her skin. "I'll be waiting."

She didn't say a word as she collected a few things from a drawer and headed for their bathroom.

Adrien took a moment to take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He could never be able to describe the myriad of emotions that he was feeling at that moment. Anxious and excited and nervous and happy and who knows what else.

He stripped out of his tux, standing only in his boxer shorts when she exited the bathroom.

And nearly killed him dead.

"I thought the ladybug print was appropriate," she said, her cheeks as red as her underwear.

It was. It so was. He loved and hated her for it. He couldn't say a word, so he just walked up to her and took her in his arms, holding her tight against him. "I love you, bugaboo," he said. "No matter what you're in."

She settled happily into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him that made him feel as though she was the only thing holding him together. Ironic considering how he felt like he could fall apart with how much of her skin was against his. "I love you, too," she said. "So much. I really can't imagine spending this night with anyone else."

They stayed there a moment longer before he swept her up bridal style. She squealed in surprise, then joined his laughter as he carried her over to the bed.

Where they spent a good while just snuggling together.

Marinette shifted in his arms that he had wrapped protectively around her. "I love you," she said. "Know I really do love you."

"I know you do," Adrien said, leaning forward to press his forehead to hers. "And I hope you know just how much I really love you."

Her hand came up around the back of his head to hold him there. "I know," she said. "Trust me, I know."

They punctuated their feelings with kisses, ones that they let grow passionate, ones where they explored each other. They parted for a moment to catch their breaths, only for hoarse whispers to come rolling off their lips, ones that tentatively pushed for more and more.

Come light of morning, Adrien realized just why it was called 'intimacy' because he never felt closer or more connected to Marinette than he did now. She was his wife, and he was her husband, something she had whispered in his ear again and again and again throughout the night.

It had been beautiful. It _was_ beautiful. He was still in the moment, holding his wife— _his wife —_ while the sun began peeking through the curtains. Adrien decided he couldn't be any happier. For better or for worse, this was his life, forever waking up by this wonderful woman's side.

He loved the thought.

Eventually, she stirred in his arms. He just held her, allowing her all the time in the world to wake up. But when her eyes fluttered open and locked with his, he couldn't help but smile. "Good morning, my beautiful, sweet, perfect wife."

She lit up the room with her smile. "Good morning, my handsome, wonderful, perfect husband."

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Good," she said. "Really good. I'm a married woman who just woke in her husband's arms. I'm really good. Except," she said, making a pout. "I'm disappointed because I forgot to tell you something very important last night."

He frowned, his heart nervously picking up its pace. "What is it?"

She shifted, leaning up to hover over him and purposefully dragging her skin against his in the process. Adrien realized just how dangerous she had become in the span of a single night, now holding this power to reduce him to shreds with a single touch.

She leaned down close to whisper in his ear. He shivered. "Raor raor."

His heart skipped a beat, and then laughter bubbled over before he could stop it.

She joined in, and the morning was spent wrapped up in the sheets together in uncontrollable fits of laughter.


	5. Chapter 5

At twenty-four years of age, Adrien had a steady job, had a house with a dog and a cat,

And an immensely stubborn wife.

Last year, when they had discussed their readiness to start a family now that they were secure in their careers and stable financially, Adrien had been excited at the prospect of being a dad, doting over his wife and child. And Marinette had wanted a family for a long time, so at the prospect of them being ready, she was almost overeager to chuck all form of birth control out the window and start trying to conceive.

It wasn't for five months until she waved the positive pregnancy test in front of him. Just like what happened with the wedding night, the thought of being a dad and then the realization that he was actually going to be a dad was shocking. His wife was pregnant with a baby that he had put inside her and it was going to be here before he knew it and he was such a mess of emotions his wife laughed at him.

"I'm supposed to be the emotional one, minou," she teased as she ran her fingers through his hair.

He didn't move from the spot kneeling in front of her, arms tightly around her waist and his face pressed against her abdomen as he cried tears of joy. "I don't care," he said. "You're pregnant. _Pregnant._ With _our_ baby. A baby. We're gonna have a baby."

"That's kind of what we were aiming for, Adrien."

"I'm gonna be a dad. We're gonna have a baby. A _baby._ "

She just chuckled and continued petting him.

Her pregnancy had been a decent one. Not too severe of morning sickness even though she was sore from gaining the belly. Adrien had doted over her, going on midnight grocery store runs and giving her back massages as well as navigating all her hormone-induced emotional highs and lows the best he could.

And then came the day her water broke. Adrien, having read countless books, knew that it wouldn't be long before they went to the hospital. However, Marinette had other plans.

"Maman said it was easiest to labor at home as long as possible," she argued, though her face pinched as she breathed through a contraction.

He wasn't going to drag her kicking and screaming. However, he continued trying to coerce her as her contractions grew progressively closer and more intense to the point she was sitting in the bathtub instead of pacing the house.

Adrien, being the supportive husband he was, sat and massaged her shoulders as she struggled through another contraction. "Marinette," he begged once the contraction had ended and she was breathing normal again. "Please, let's just go."

"Little longer, minou," she said, still a bit winded. "Little longer."

"Marinette," he said. "I know what your maman said, but please, we should really go."

"But this is really comfortable," she said, referring to her position curled up in the bathtub half-full of hot water.

He sighed.

"Go put the hospital bag in the car."

"I did that hours ago once your water broke."

"Then go double check we have everything."

"I did that last night, as I did every night since the day we packed it."

"Okay. So everything _is_ ready for when we _do_ go."

" _Marinette_."

"Adrien," she returned. "The baby is not coming yet. I can feel it. We'll go when it's ready."

"You have until the next contraction."

She was about to retort when her face scrunched up with another contraction. She curled up on herself and let out a squeak, proving just how bad this one was compared to the others.

"Okay," she grunted at the end. "Okay. We'll go."

Adrien sighed. "Thank you."

He grabbed her towel and drained the tub, allowing her to sit and rest for a moment before he helped her out of the tub.

Only for her to nearly fall back in with a cry and clutch her belly.

 _Too long,_ Adrien thought as he helped her out of the tub and dry off. But he wasn't going to say anything because he was now panicking.

By the time the two of them got to the car that decided it didn't want to work the first ten times he turned it over before he realized that he had the foot on the gas and not on the break, Marinette's contractions were coming faster than ever. Adrien was fully in panic mode at this point. And that's when they ran into construction.

Marinette grabbed his arm. "Adrien," she grunted.

And he knew the baby was going to come _now_ whether they made it to the hospital or not.

Adrien knew he shouldn't be on his cell phone when driving, but the moment he realized the detour ran right by Alya's house, he had to call her to help him if Marinette ended up giving birth in the car. Thankfully, it was Alya's day off, so she was home and instructing Adrien to bring Marinette over.

By the time Adrien had carried Marinette into the house and lay her down on the guestroom bed Alya had prepared, she was feeling the need to push. Alya, having been there when her mom gave birth her twin sisters, helped Marinette though delivery while Adrien was doing everything he could to support his wife until a cry that wasn't Marinette's rent the room.

He may have been checking his watch religiously beforehand, but now Adrien lost all track of time. Suddenly all his anxiety and worry melted away as he lay next to his poor, exhausted wife who was cradling their newborn baby girl. Emilie.

It wasn't exactly how he pictured it would go, but he supposed it wasn't the worst thing in the world.

Half an hour later, Emilie was completely cleaned up and covered in a blanked pressed close to Marinette's chest. Adrien refused to leave her side.

"Thank you, Alya," he eventually remembered to say.

"Yes," Marinette agreed, looking up from her newborn. "Thank you."

"I'm officially demanding title as Aunt Alya."

"Yours," the new parents both agreed.

She smiled. "However," she continued. "I'm not up for delivering all your children, Mari. May I suggest listening to your husband and getting to the hospital a little earlier, next time?"

Marinette gave her a tired grin. "We'll see."

* * *

"Emilie, they're here!"

Adrien watched his four-year-old daughter practically stumble down the stairs, her blonde hair flying behind her. She looked so much like his mother, her namesake, but those blue eyes were Marinette's through and through.

He then watched as two-year-old Tom tottered after her. He was getting so big.

And into everything. _Especially_ if it had to do with the kitchen. He was really upset when they put a baby gate up around it.

Adrien scooped him up once he made it down the stairs, getting a squeal of happiness from the boy. Those eyes were definitely his, and Adrien took pride in that, but that brown hair was from Tom's namesake. Marinette had cried over that a couple times when Tom was a baby. Now, she just looked at it in fondness.

Nino greeted Adrien with a wave when he came into view. "Hey, bro."

"Always nice seeing you," Adrien said. "And you, Alya."

She grinned. "Look at him. He's getting so big!"

"I fear I'm going to blink and I'm going to be teaching him how to drive."

"I feel the same with my boy," she said, reaching for Tom.

"Speaking of which," Adrien said, handing over Tom to a grabby Alya, "where'd he run off to?"

"He ran off the moment he saw Emilie," Nino said. "Which is fine by me. He is more than welcome to burn off as much energy as he wants here so I can take him home completely exhausted."

"He's a little boy," Alya countered. "Of course, he has energy. You were probably just like him at this age."

"No, he definitely gets that from you."

Alya just rolled her eyes.

Adrien chucked. They were a pair, and while it had absolutely shocked him five years ago when they told him and Marinette that they up and eloped, he really couldn't imagine them _not_ being married, now.

Marinette came down the stairs. "They just got settled in Emilie's room," she said, coming up to her husband's side. "I think they are going to go share a coloring page."

Adrien looked down at her, spotting the unmistakable knowing glint in her eyes. He was certain he matched her expression.

"What?" Alya asked, breaking the moment.

Adrien just shrugged. "You'll see."


End file.
